1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a device for making reusable developing toner used in an electrophotographic apparatus, an electrostatic recording apparatus or the like, and more particularly to a toner regenerating device for collecting toner remaining on an image bearing member after development or image transfer and making the collected toner reusable.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A construction in which solidified toner and foreign matters contained in toner removed and collected from an image bearing member by cleaning means are filtered through a mesh and only toner particles having passed through the mesh are again used for development has already been attempted. However, such construction has suffered from the disadvantage that the solidified toner and paper powder of copy paper or the like contained in the toner gradually clog the apertures of the mesh.
Further, paper powder fine enough not to clog the mesh passes through the apertures of the mesh and thereafter mixes with regenerated toner, thus bringing about an inconvenience during development. Of course, if a mesh having small apertures is used to cope with such inconvenience, fine paper powder may be filtered. In reality, however, there has been the disadvantage that solidified toner having a particle diameter larger than the aperture size of the mesh clogs the apertures of the mesh, thus greatly reducing the regenerating function.